Silver State Times

There were 28 deaths from chronic lower respiratory diseases reported in Nevada in the week ending June 17, making up 5.3% of total deaths by all causes in Nevada, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the week ending June 17, there were 533 deaths in the state. 25.3% of deaths were caused by heart disease, 19.7% were from cancer and less than 1.9% were from COVID-19. Additionally, 5.8% of deaths were from Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Studies show doctors and medical examiners may underreport Alzheimer's disease and dementia-related conditions as the underlying cause of death on death certificates, according to the National Institute on Aging.

Once infected, older adults with dementia are likely to develop a more severe and dangerous illness. The diseases which make an older adult more vulnerable to COVID-19 are age-associated chronic conditions, according to the Bright Focus Foundation.

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Heart disease	135	25.3
Malignant neoplasms (cancerous tumor)	105	19.7
Chronic lower respiratory diseases	28	5.3
Cerebrovascular diseases	26	4.9
Diabetes mellitus	16	3
Alzheimer's disease	14	2.6
Influenza and pneumonia	< 10	< 1.9
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis	< 10	< 1.9
COVID-19 (underlying cause)	< 10	< 1.9
COVID-19 (multiple cause)	< 10	< 1.9

Cause of Death	Number of Deaths	% of Total Deaths
Alzheimer disease and dementia	31	5.8